Monday, August 20, 2012

Gang Member Sentenced For Trafficking High School Girls

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Christopher Sylvia, 23, of Springfield, Virginia, was
sentenced today to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of
supervised release, for his role as a bodyguard and driver for a
gang-led prostitution business that recruited and trafficked high school
girls.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of
Virginia; Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II, Attorney General of Virginia;
Colonel David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and James W.
McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field
Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District
Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.

“Predators involved in the sex trafficking of juveniles should
receive severe sentences,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Sylvia worked
with others to steal the adolescent years of these high school girls and
now he will pay the price.”

“Christopher Sylvia and others profited from the exploitation and
intimidation of vulnerable juveniles,” said Assistant Director in Charge
McJunkin. “Today’s sentence is yet another example that those who
commit such appalling crimes will be pursued and punished to the fullest
extent of the law.”

“Human traffickers are some of the most dangerous criminals we deal
with,” said Attorney General Cuccinelli. “It is our hope that today’s
sentencing will send a clear message that participating in human
trafficking at any level will not be tolerated in Virginia.”

On April 12, 2012, Sylvia pled guilty to sex trafficking of a
juvenile. According to court records, Sylvia was an associate of the
Underground Gangster Crips (UGC), a Crips “set” based in Fairfax County,
Virginiaa. As part of his involvement with UGC, Sylvia served as a
bodyguard and driver in the UGC prostitution enterprise and walked with
prostitutes for protection on multiple occasions. In late 2011 and early
2012, Sylvia transported three 17-year-old girls to engage in
commercial sex acts.

Sylvia is the third of five UGC members or associates who have been
convicted of sex trafficking of juveniles in connection with this case.
Michael Tavon Jefferies, aka “Loc,” was sentenced on July 6, 2012, to
120 months in prison for his role in the enterprise. Donyel Dove, aka
“Bleek,” was sentenced on August 10, 2012, to 276 months in prison for
his role in the prostitution enterprise and on other charges. The two
remaining defendants (Henock Ghile and Justin Strom) are scheduled for
sentencing on September 7, and September 14, 2012, respectively.

This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department
and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Northern
Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Virginia Assistant Attorney
General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum
and Assistant United States Attorney Inayat Delawala are prosecuting the
case on behalf of the United States.

Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force
is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement
agencies—along with non-governmental organizations—dedicated to
combating human trafficking and related crimes.